Mind vs Heart
by sheepssleep
Summary: Helga leaves Hillwood.
1. Departure

"Why didn't you tell me you were leaving". His voice barely audible.

Because I was afraid. Afraid of leaving, leaving you. Afraid that if I saw you now, I'll remember the hurt I inflicted onto you, the one I loved. But more importantly, when I see you again, and if I see you happy with someone that's no me, remembering that you once loved me like that, I'll fall apart.

I'm afraid of hurting myself.

"What business is it of yours, Arnoldo?" I retorted, my voice sounding just a little too loud and angry. I felt the hot stares from my friends blazing on my back.

Pain shone clearly in his eyes. And I almost broke down, right there and then in the middle of the damn airport. Those words were not the ones I had intended to say, but my mind had once again won my heart, my mind had won him.

Tears brimming from my eyes, I ran the other way, no wanting anyone to catch a glimpse of Helga G. Pataki crying, a sign of pure weakness. Not taking a single glance back at what I left behind.

"You know she was lying, don't you?" said Gerald, putting his hand over his best friend's shoulder as Arnold started blankly into the distance long after Helga had ran away.

"Yeah. I know that." he replied, his voice far off. "It just hurts me that after all we've been through, she still does not trust me with her emotions"


	2. 1 month before

**The month before.**

"Criminy! Are you honestly insane Fletcher?" screamed a shocked (and horrified) sixteen year old Helga Pataki, who felt a sudden sense of dizziness overcome her as she heard her teacher's 'special little' announcement to her.

"Miss Pataki! That's definitely no way to talk to your teacher," exclaimed Ms Fletcher, a small smile stretched across her wrinkly old face. "But yes, I did, and you got in. Are you happy?"

"Don't you think you should have asked me before making any wonderful decisions of your own, you old coot." Helga muttered silently under her breath. But she just nodded her head, mutely acknowledging what her teacher has just said, wanting to get out of the class room as soon as humanly possible, craving fresh air.

Outside, Helga's loyal best friend, Phoebe, was patiently waiting for her, her head bent down in a thick book, as per usual.

"Oh hello Helga. What did Miss Fletcher want to talk to you about?" she said perkily as she saw Helga dash out of the classroom.

"Oh hey Pheebs. That old coot apparently does not understand how to respect's the decisions made by others, and just has to act against the will of others for the "greater good of her students". Blah blah blah." Glancing at her best friend, she saw a clear look of confusion lit up onto her face, Helga sighed deeply, taking in a huge gulp of air she had craved so badly just now before starting again.

"Don't you remember that dumb writing competition that offered prize scholarships to that school in New York in something." Seeing Phoebe nodded quickly in agreement. "Well, old little Fletch here put in one of my writings for it, and she didn't even tell me. She's definitely my top choice of favourite teacher of the year, that's for certain." muttered Helga.

"Erm, Helga. She did ask you. But you were, busy writing about, well, Ice Cream.", stammering as a crimson blush started to spread upon Phoebe's porcelain white face as she mentioned Helga's favourite "desert treat".

"Oh criminy! That's right! I'm just an idiot!" exclaimed Helga, smacking her own forehead, cursing at herself for her own stupidity of giving the cold shoulder to the Fletch that day, so engrossed in her latest poem about Arnold that she was completely oblivious to her surroundings. Ironically, her obsessive love poem writing habit at the random spur of the moment continued even after they started dating, her poem writing still kept a secret from her beloved

"So… are you going to tell him" inquired a meek Phoebe.

Helga briefly considered this, finally contemplating on the possibility that since she got the scholarship, she would have to, indeed, move to New York for a period of time, and would be away from her Arnold. She would be devastated, leaving him after they had just started dating the month before, leaving him after finally tasting her sweet ice cream after so many years of patient, uncertain waiting. Helga was caught at the first major crossroad in her life. Two paths that held different fates, two paths that will never cross once again. If she never saw Arnold again, she would be devastated, her world would unravel apart, because without Arnold, there was no more glue to hold the pieces of her life together anymore.

Snapping out of her train of thought by a gentle poke from Phoebe, she licked her lips slowly, as she articulated the words that determined which path she was taking in the crossroad of her life, the one that held the future with no Arnold in it.

"No, I'm not."

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Decided to continue with the one shot since some people were interested in knowing what happened before :)

Enjoy! (and sorry for the crappy beginning, I need to get back to studying D:)


	3. Years after

**Years after.**

"Look man. I'm sure Helga wants to see you, and you know you want to see her." nudging his best friend playfully as he wriggled his eyebrows mockingly. A lighthearted smile graced Arnold's face effortlessly, his nerves calmed slightly at his best friend's childlike playfulness, something that never changed after they had grown up years later.

With inside information from Phoebe, Gerald dragged his best friend to the airport to pick her up. Its been years since Helga had made her dramatic departure at the airport. Even though Arnold did not show it, he was still hurt. He was hurt from the rejection, and hurt that Helga had left him. All the people he loved had seemed to leave him one by one over the years. His parents, Helga and even his grandmother. He just wished he could make them all stay, somehow.

"There she is! There she is!" squealed Phoebe excitedly, a wide grin spread over her clear porcelain face as she started waving madly at a young blonde. Still lost in his thoughts, he glanced slightly in Phoebe's direction, and instantaneously snapped out of them. Helga, who was once labeled as the "ugly ducking" by most, had evolved drastically into a beautiful, fair swan. Her soft blonde hair, cut short like a boy's, suited her perfectly as she walked gracefully towards them, looking slightly flustered, yet pleasantly surprised at the same time. She was wearing a simple white blouse and skinny jeans, complimenting her tall, svelte figure. If Phoebe had not pointed out that was Helga, Arnold would have definitely mistaken her as just another stranger passing by him, and a very hot stranger at that.

"Hello, football head." said Helga, a wide smirk on her face. At the sound of her voice, a warm tingly sensation electrified Arnold's entire body that he could almost feel the ice that had layered his heart melting away. Indeed, a leopard can never change its spots, and Helga was definitely the same girl Arnold had knew so long ago. She was the sort of girl that someone could either totally hate, or totally love, but Arnold didn't know which he felt now.

"I missed you." he said, shocked of himself for saying those words he meant from his heart so quickly without much deliberation. He had not planned to jump into anything too fast. Once bitten, twice shy, Arnold was never going to take any chances with love again. But once again, his heart had won over him, once again.

As Helga enveloped him into a tight hug that lasted longer than a hug between past lovers should, Arnold finally felt that all was right with the world.

_**The end** will always led to a new beginning._

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Long time since I last written. Hope you like it. R&R.


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